None.
None.
None.
1. Field of the Invention
Various card games, such as Bridge or Spades, use bidding and trump suits for two partner play with a standard four suit, fifty-two card deck. These games mostly reward the luck of being dealt high cards and accordingly being able to place the highest bid. Bridge, Spades, and similar games also require partnerships with players of equal or superior skill in order to be effective in tournament or competitive level play. In addition, on-line or electronic gaming room versions of Bridge, Spades, or the like are vulnerable to players who use xe2x80x9cstrawxe2x80x9d partners or otherwise manipulate the scoring mechanisms to adversely effect the play of honest participants. The on-line games are also vulnerable to players who are not capable or who quit in the middle of a game, thus ending the game for the other players without a significant result.
The present card game method improves these gaming deficiencies by minimizing the luck factor of cards dealt, maximizing the reward for skillful bidding, and elimination of partnership play. All players compete against each other. One suit is always trump. Bidding accuracy is encouraged by a scoring system which insures that the most accurate bidder will always win the game.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98
A search of the prior art located the following United States patents which are believed to be representative of the present state of the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,597 B1, issued Apr. 24, 2001, U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,567, issued Dec. 5, 2000, U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,870, issued Dec. 21, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,334, issued Sep. 21, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,314, issued Aug. 31, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,845, issued Dec. 27, 1994, International Publication No. WO 93/05855, published Apr. 1, 1993.
In the area of rewarding skill and accuracy in bidding, the present invention card game method departs substantially from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art. Accordingly, a card game primarily developed for the purpose of rewarding accuracy in bidding and play is presented by the present invention card game method.
The present card game method rewards skill in bidding, and the skill of making that bid. High cards count, but only to obtain the tricks bid. After the bid is made, low cards are strategically used to avoid exceeding the bid. A card game of bidding skill is presented, principally with four independent players.
There is a need to improve the present on-line tournament play for card games. On-line card tournaments are floundering. On-line card play is driven by the luck of cards dealt equaling player ability. In games 6-12 hands long, players getting the high cards dealt to them win more games, regardless of the skill factor of the players. This aspect on current on-line card games frustrates elite players. Present on-line tournaments for Bridge, Spades and similar games require a partner. The skill level of one""s partner is critical. The present card game invention eliminates partner play, and with the emphasis on bidding skill, player participation in on-line tournaments for the present invention should be enthusiastic.
The present invention achieves the advantages over the prior art by comprising a card game and method of playing the game which is similar to Spades in the sense of following suit and the use of trump cards, but entirely different in the rules and procedures. Principally designed for four individual players, a regular deck of 52 cards is used. Initially, each player is dealt thirteen cards. The present invention rewards accurate bidding and accurate play to achieve the exact bid.
The foregoing broadly outlines the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and so that the present invention may be better appreciated. Additional features of the present invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of describing and should not be regarded as limiting.
Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other games, structures, methods and/or systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, it is important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
Additionally, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature an essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which has many of the advantages of the prior art games and presents new challenges.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which may be easily learned and played.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which may be easily and efficiently adapted to on-line and electronic card room play.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which rewards bidding accuracy.
Yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which neutralizes the luck factor of cards dealt during play.
Even still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which maximizes individual ability as opposed to partner play.
Another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which minimizes the effect of a player""s lack of ability on play for the other players.
Yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved card game which eliminates loss of play for the remaining players as a result of an on-line player quitting before a game is decided.